Helen, mischievously. There was
something positively fascinating about the intense seriousness that
had fallen upon the nervous features of Whitney Barnes.

"She's not too young to marry?" was his next query.

"N-no," Helen hesitated, "though I suppose you'd have to ask Auntie."

"Well, you didn't have to do that," he said in alarm. "Oh, I beg your
pardon," he added quickly, "please forgive me."

"You are forgiven," said Helen, with a catch in her breath; then
resolutely, "but that is all over with. It wasn't really real--only a
bad dream."

"Of course, it wasn't real," sympathized Barnes. "That fellow just
hypnotized you--and my eye, but he's a wonderful looking chap--sort of
a Hercules and Adonis all thrown into one. But to get back to
Sadie--I'm going to marry her."

"You are!" Helen half started from her chair.

"Be calm; be calm," and he waved her down with his shackled hands.
"When I say I'm going to marry her I merely state a fond belief I have
been cherishing since, m'm--well since a very long time ago to-day or
yesterday, for to-day is to-morrow by this time, you know. Now don't
stop me--I say I am going to marry your cousin because I believe in
Destiny with a big D. Do you?"

"I did," said Helen grimly, "but now I don't."

"Oh, yes, you do," Barnes breezed on. "You may not think that you
believe you do, but you really do, and I wouldn't be a bit surprised
if the destiny you thought out--as far as the name goes--Travers
Gladwin, I mean--comes true after all. But to come back to Sadie
and my Destiny. I have really got to marry her--orders from
headquarters!"

"Orders from headquarters!" gasped Helen.

"Exactly! My governor--that is, my dad--that is, the pater--wrung a
promise from me, issued a command, a ukase, an ultimatum--said:
'Whitney Barnes, you go right out and get married and bring home a lot
of grand-children.' No; that wasn't it exactly--now let me think a
moment. Yes, I've got it--he said: 'You've simply got to marry and
settle down or I'll turn you out into the street.'"

"Wasn't that enough to take the wind out of you, when you'd never
given the idea of marriage a thought. Simply bowled me over. At first
I refused point blank, but when I saw how cut up the poor old dad was
about it I shook his hand and said: 'Pater, done--I'll go right out
and find a wife.' And I did."

"What!" said Helen faintly. "You went right out and got married?"

"No, no, no, my dear cousin. I simply found S